


hold on, baby, we're almost home

by thundercracker



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Raven's Roost, Tres Horny Girls AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-01 19:36:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10928616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thundercracker/pseuds/thundercracker
Summary: Julia returns to Raven's Roost on business to retrieve a relic with control over time. The bad news is that someone is already using it. The good news is the same as the bad news.An AU of the Tres Horny Girls AU in which it turns out you shouldn't trust a despot when he tells you he's killed someone.





	1. Part 1: the burning flares, the steam, your hair

**Author's Note:**

> To keep up my theme of naming THG AU things after songs by Charles H. Gabriel, the alt title was either "Onward, Forward" or "Homeward".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The titles are from Broken Bride because it's vaguely thematically related and I was at a lack for naming conventions. It's not actually very related. 
> 
> For anyone who reads Better Home Awaiting, I'm experimenting with writing for a bit before continuing on with my main THG AU while I try to sort out writing style and characterizations. It's been a while since I had a consistent writing style or even wrote for fun.

Three sets of boots clicked out a syncopated rhythm through the hallway of one of the primary moonbase domes. Two were even and sure, spaced a second apart, one of which did not so much tap the ground as it did stamp down upon it. The third, clumsier and louder, was an irregular beat of rapid steps, accelerating and decelerating wildly.

“Gaaaals, wait up,” Hekuba whined, scurrying forward to catch up with her taller two party members, who themselves seemed rather neutral about this fact. Julia, to her credit, did pause, on hand on her hip.

“Your movement speed kind of sucks, Hec,” the human woman teased.

“I’ve got bad knees!”

“Alright, Ms. Bad Knees,” Julia laughed and grinned, “so what about that time I was talking about my _actual_ chronic knee pain and _you_ were bragging that you had the best legs in the whole Coralheart territory?”

“You’ve—got me—there,” Hekuba panted out. She bent over after catching up to the fighter, wheezing more theatrically than she really needed to. "

“Hey, hons?” Lup chimed from down the hallway. “We going to keep Director Lulu waiting forever or are we actually going to move on?”

“Kid, I know you’re joking, and that is the only thing saving you from a stern lecture on dwarven sensitivity 101,” warned Hekuba. Lup cackled; she'd heard as much before, many times, enough to know that it was part of Hekuba's strange sense of humor. 

(There was an understanding between the three that a lot of jokes were permissible among their group, but each woman reserved the right to act—or _be_ , in more unfortunate cases—angry about them if any of them bordered on harmful; their gentle prodding was part of the gag, usually, but there had been two or three times in which the jokes had gone too far. The teasing had dialed back for some time afterward. Someday they’d actually have to negotiate and talk about the debacle, but none of them had initiated that conversation so far.) 

The dwarf scrambled to catch up once more, sighing before doing so, and shot a mock glare at the elf as she approached. Julia easily kept pace with her but made sure not to get far ahead this time. Hekuba and Lup continued on with friendly back-and-forth quips for some time before lapsing into a comfortable silence, the wizard remaining several strides ahead of the others. The rest of the trip to the Director’s office was silent and uneventful, but not awkward.

The Director greeted them warmly when they arrived, offering them seats and quickly getting to the matter at hand. The moment she sat, however, the mood of the room seemed to shift; Lucretia’s face grew serious and heartfelt, her chin resting limply on her clasped hands, elbows firmly planted on her desk.

“Now, you three,” she began. “As I mentioned, the Bureau of Balance was able to determine the location of this next relic quite some time ago. However, no one—none of our members have been ready to go on this mission before now.”

“So we’re basically the only people over level six in this whole org?” Lup hummed. “Great, great, good to know we have such great support behind us. Sorry, you’ve been running this shindig for _how_ long?”

“Over a year but—but that’s not important, this organization has a large cadre of remarkably capable members, and we’re really losing the plot here, gals.” Lucretia pinched the bridge of her nose, looking entirely too tired to be dealing with the trio at that moment. “You three are still our only members known to be able to resist the thrall, which is why I am deeply sorry for what I am asking of you now.”

“Hon, you pay us for a reason. We’re like, your employees?"

“The _point_ is, Lup—this is perhaps the most difficult, most tempting artifact you will face. It is called the Temporal Chalice. It is a cup that allows its wielder to reign over the passage time itself. It is—it is a horrifying and very, incredibly seductive power. This relic will tempt you in ways you have never been tempted before.” The Director looked at each woman in turn with apologetic eyes, apparently needing to convey her genuineness. “I’m sure you must understand what I mean. The ability to undo your mistakes is a power that is nearly impossible to resist.”

The women paused at that, and instantly the weight of the information pressed down upon them. Hekuba was the first to break the oppressive silence hanging in the room. Inhaling deeply, she sighed. 

“Yeah, yeah. We’ve all made some pretty shitty decisions. Personally, I’m over it. Live for now and all that bullcrap. What do we know about the cup?”

Unseen to the trio, the Director smiled as she bent to retrieve her maps.

“I’m not sure how to say this, so I’ll have to show you. We—admittedly, I was tempted to feed information about the signs of the relic  to the Voidfish due to its presence being so conspicuous, but ultimately decided against it. Keeping its existence a secret is only possible because the relic is in a town that was deserted years ago, located out of the way of most travelling routes. What I mean to say is, a massive temporal bubble of some kind has established itself around this town. That is, unfortunately, all I can tell you about what you will have to face. I cannot begin to guess what is going on inside of it.”

It was obviously an accident on the Director’s part, but Julia noticed how she glanced at her for a moment too long before unfurling a certain map.

It was years old and outdated, Julia could tell, because she had had the same kind so many years ago.

“The Temporal Chalice is currently in the ruins of a town named Raven’s Roost.”

 

 

She had told Lup about Magnus, once, after she had asked about the imprint of a ring on her finger, the ring around her neck like a lucky charm. She'd told the elf the truth, her legs on Lup's lap, staring at the ceiling above her bed late one night. She’d told her about the crinkle of his face when he smiled, how he had deep, dark eyes like her own, how his rumbling laugh made her heart skip. She wasn’t ready to move on, yet, but maybe someday, she had said later, fingers intertwined, counting the freckles and moles on Lup's face. Maybe soon. She knew he would want her to be happy.

She had told Hekuba, too, over drinks and dares and stories of a man who left the dwarf years ago, and her first husband before that, how she could see the best of them in her kids. How she'd have to be the best damn mother if they'd never have a father around. The fighter choked out a bitter sob, the two women propped up against each others' shoulders. She had wanted kids, too, Julia had confessed, and they had planned to adopt after they had gotten settled. They had all the time in the world, he had said. But she'd have ended up like Hekuba, perhaps, if they had been just a few months too hasty. 

And Lucretia must have known, somehow, from the sympathy evident in her shining eyes, the gentle wrinkles around the downturned corners of her mouth from which apologies spilled, feeling petty and small upon Julia's mind compared to the weight of her job. 

The women understood why she wept in their arms.


	2. Interlude: It's Lucretia's Time. / time is quite the killer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a small part of a much longer chapter 2, but it ended up feeling better as an interlude and the length got out of hand because I love Lucretia with all my heart. 
> 
> Also maybe very brief implied past Julia/Lucretia in this chapter, but not enough to warrant tagging?

The briefing was over shortly after Julia had dried her tears, and the Director promptly dismissed her companions. She quietly stopped Julia on her way out, however; the other women looked back at her before taking their leave. The room felt too empty for the two who remained as muffled chatter down the hallway faded into silence. The Director remained seated, and Julia returned to her own chair; although it was nearly irritating background noise in her life by now, the chronic pain in her leg was soothed somewhat when she didn’t stand.

“Julia,” Lucretia began, her gaze focused on her clasped hands, “you are a crucial member of our organization, one of the three employees I can entrust with the task of retrieving these relics. But I know your history with Raven’s Roost; you must understand that background checks are an important part of the hiring process for top secret moon bureaus. I cannot in good conscience force you to go back to the ruins of your hometown, particularly after your experience there. Your medical records stated you still have lingering physical health effects, and to be trapped for so many hours before being rescued—”

“If you're trying to tell me that I  _might possibly_ be traumatized, you're a bit late to that revelation."

Here the Director paused, breathed deeply, and looked into the other’s eyes. “I overstepped. I'm merely worried about you returning there. If you feel you can’t go on this mission, I can—”

“With all due respect, Madame Director,” Julia interrupted, speaking over her in as firm a voice as she could muster, “ _I_ can’t in good conscience leave the fate of the world on the shoulders of my friends while I stay here and worry about them.” She grinned halfheartedly. “I mean, Lup nearly got knocked out by a strong breeze last week and Hecuba’s going to save all her useful spell slots for healing, she’ll forget she has to do damage. Someone’s got to be there to keep those two in line.”

To Julia’s surprise, Lucretia chuckled. It was the first time Julia had ever seen the ever-stoic elder openly laugh.

“I know this may be forward of me to say as your employer—” began Lucretia, an apologetic look to the now-strained smile that had appeared on her face, before Julia cut in.

“ _Forward_? Director,” the young woman teased with a mock gasp and poorly suppressed chuckle, “is this your way of asking me out? What would Brad from HR say about the power dynamic?”

For a split second before she was able to hide her surprise, the Director’s brows shot up, and Julia hoped that image would always stay in her memory. She couldn’t help but laugh while the other composed herself. The older woman cleared her throat.

“You’re damn right,” Lucretia near-monotoned wryly after a moment. There was a hint of a smirk left on her face, which Julia supposed she wasn’t fully attempting to stifle. Perhaps it was for Julia’s own benefit, so she didn’t misinterpret her dry sense of humor. “How could you guess that I am wildly in love with you, an employee I have known for less than a year and hold immense power over.”

“Tell me, Director, was it my courage that seduced you? My cunning wit? My hot bod?”

“Yes absolutely to all of them. Got it in one. Can I please say my thing now, dear G-d.”

“Yeah alright.”

“Actually, it’s too late. Jokes came in and booted Heartfelt Chat right out the window, and it's my fault for using a cliche word. This was supposed to be a nice moment about me commending you,” Lucretia sighed, “for having a wonderful heart. If I ever try to be genuine with you three again I will absolutely buy my own self a ‘Best Boss’ mug with money deducted from your pay.”

“Aw. I think it was a nice moment anyway. Now I know you have more than one expression.”

“Only when I can’t help it. Now get the hell out of my office, Julia Burnsides. You’ve got a long trip ahead of you tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Julia laughed, rising from her seat.

“Wait. One last thing: I’ve got road snacks. I’ll have Davenport deliver them.”

“ _Hell_ yes. Pgorp?”

“Puppy chow, actually. With caramel.”

“Madame D, I will blacksmith you a Best Moon Boss mug with my own hands.”

“Metal seems like a bad choice for mugs but seriously for real this time. Get out of my office and get some rest, you deserve it.”

Julia grinned the whole trip back to her room.

 

* * *

 

The steady tapping of Julia’s footfalls echoed down the hallway, muffled by the massive oaken door to the grand office. Alone in the room, Lucretia’s face burned in her hands.

 

("You always seemed so anxious to be around us at first,” a voice in her mind says from a world immeasurably far away. “I was starting to wonder if you had any other expressions, no offense. I'm glad you've opened up since you got here."

"Lucy, you're so expressive nowadays. — No, it's good! You have a cute smile.”)

 

The sound of footfalls faded into silence.

Minutes passed. The burning passed, too, replaced by a familiar and nostalgic warmth in her heart.

Alone in her office, hands clutched over her heart, Director Lucretia allowed herself to smile.


End file.
